Existing Dead

by Lyle Perez-Tinics

As he walked through the abandoned street he began reflecting on how his life had ended up the way it had. Why was he always doing things that he did not want to do? He didn’t want to marry Mary. It felt more like a shotgun wedding than anything else. He loved Jasmine; he wanted to be with Jasmine. But for some reason, Kyle always made the wrong decision. The one that would cause him pain and sorrow. And Mary had caused plenty of both.

  Halfway to Jasmine’s house, Kyle passed a small bookstore. The same bookstore where he and Jasmine had spent many hours looking at books and drinking coffee. He had never been much of one for coffee, but just thinking about that mocha-colored gold made Kyle’s tired eyes close a little. He reopened them once he realized that he had been sleepwalking for a few steps.

  He thought about breaking in and brewing himself a cup.

  “No,” he said just to hear his voice. “No more distractions.”

  He continued walking, feeling his legs become weaker and weaker with every step. Just up ahead was the ampm gas station where he had always bought gas after spending a wonderful day with Jasmine. “They have the lowest prices in town,” he said, remembering what Jasmine always told him about the place.

  The building got closer, and he knew that Jasmine’s apartment complex was just around the corner. It felt as though his legs had renewed and his weariness was slowly drifting away. He felt anxious, he felt relief, he felt like running. But there was also a part of him that was scared, scared of what he might find.

  Kyle began sprinting toward the building. He made a right turn down Sage Street. Jasmine’s complex was only fifty yards away. He could see it, and he slowed to a power walk. His panting grew, but he tried to slow it down by taking deep breaths.

  Jasmine’s apartment complex was two levels high, with a total of twenty-two apartments. They were built into a U-shape form, with five apartments top and bottom to the left and right. In the middle of the U were additional apartments on the second level, with the laundry and maintenance room on the bottom. Between both rows of apartments were walkways that led to separate set of stairs. One on the right, on the left, and in the center. Trees and patches of grass covered the remaining ground. Kyle had spent many hours at Jasmine’s apartment. He knew the place like the back of his hand.

  He turned the corner and got his first glimpse of the complex. The grass had completely taken over the ground. It had not been cut in God knows how long. The staircases were all destroyed making it impossible for anyone to climb up without a ladder.

  Jasmine lived on the second floor, so as long as she hadn’t gone anywhere, she’d be safe. This gave Kyle a glimmer of hope. The window in front of Jasmine’s apartment was slightly opened, as if she had wanted to let in some of the cool breeze. She always did that, he remembered.

  Kyle remained there, staring at her apartment that was thirty yards away, remembering how he’d always been filled with happiness when he saw her place.

  Something on the ground caught Kyle’s attention. It was a silver dollar. Kyle bent down to pick it up when a shot rang out of the building. It blew by just above Kyle’s right shoulder. It burned his skin. He crouched to the ground and took cover behind a nearby tree.

  “Stop shooting!” he yelled. “I’m alive.”

  He heard hinges squeal as a door opened.

  “Don’t shoot, I’m coming out,” he said with trepidation in his voice. Kyle slowly poked his head around the tree. A woman, crouched down in a firing stance on the second floor, gawked at him. A rifle barrel poked through the side railing.

  Kyle looked at her and squinted. The shine from her blond hair reflected sunlight like the moon. The rifle fell from her arms as he quickly stood.

  “Oh my god,” he heard her say faintly. “Kyle?”

  He finished turning the corner and slowly walked down the remaining part of the path toward the demolished staircase. The woman stared, dumbfounded. As Kyle approached, he saw her face well up with tears. His eyes filled with water. He was happy and relieved, Jasmine was alive.

  “Hi,” was all he could say through his salty tears.

  She put her hand over her mouth.

  “Can I come up?” he asked. He began to look around for the right place to climb up, but there was nothing.

  Jasmine quickly ran into the house and came back out with a ladder. She placed it over the railing. It was just tall enough.

  Kyle began to climb with one arm, still clutching his shotgun by the pistol grip in his free hand.

  Once Kyle climbed over the railing they stared at each other in silence. Kyle looked into her once-shining blue eyes that were now red from tears. She was just as he remembered her. Stunning.

  “Are you okay?” he finally asked.

  She nodded and quickly wrapped her arms around him and squeezed his body like a teddy bear. Kyle let the Winchester drop to the ground as he returned the hug. More tears began to run down his face.

  They stayed there for a moment, swaying back and forth in a slow-motion dance.

  “I’m glad you’re still alive,” she whispered into his ear.

  “I’m glad you’re still alive.”

  He held her for another minute then slowly released.

  “Are you here alone?” he asked.

  She looked at him and nodded.

  “You look nice.”

  She smiled.

  “Can you say something?”

  Her smile grew to laughter.

  “How did you get here?” she asked.

  “Can we sit down? I’m dead tired.”

  Jasmine grabbed her rifle and led Kyle through the door. It was just as he remembered it. A three seater brown couch stood against the right wall. Immediately to his left was an entertainment center. Across from that was a matching brown love seat with a coffee table in the middle. The room was amazingly clean, except for the luggage and arsenal that was laid out on the kitchen table.

  Jasmine put the rifle with the rest of the weapons and sat down on the couch.

  “I’m sorry for shooting at you.”

  He smiled. “Missed me by a mile. I was always the better shot with a rifle.”

  “Shut up,” she said with a smile, and patted the cushion next to her. “Sit down.”

  Kyle dropped his things where he stood and laid down on the couch. His head met perfectly with her legs. She rubbed his head. It was as if they had never been apart. As if time had stopped for them a few years ago. Kyle began to weep. It was a low cry, but one filled with sorrow.

  He began the story with, “I love you.”

  First he told her about Mary and Eddie. He left out most of the details and gave her a more censored version. Then about Victor. He felt as though he had been rambling for hours, and he had. Jasmine did nothing more, but rubbed her hands through his hair and listened. He missed that about her. He could have never have been this way with Mary. He made no mention of Greenly or The Embassy. They were too far away to worry about.

  When Kyle finished telling Jasmine about his journey, he stood and walked to her side of the couch. He ushered her to lay her head on his upper thigh. He began running his hands through her hair. He didn’t care how knotted it was.

  She began the story. She told him how in the beginning the apartment complex was full. But people started to die very quickly. Soon enough, she was the last survivor left alive. She told him what she knew about the Existing Dead and how she’d picked up a radio signal that morning. Jasmine talked for another twenty minutes before she heard Kyle’s soft snore. He had fallen asleep, not because her story was uninteresting, but because he had spent the entire night driving.

  Jasmine slowly rose to her feet and walked into the bedroom. She returned with a blanket and covered him. While Kyle slept, Jasmine continued to pack her things into the luggage on the kitchen table.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Eight hours passed before Kyle reopened his eyes. He felt disoriented, as he couldn’t remember when or where he fell asleep. He pushed the blanket off of him and rubbed his
eyes.

  “It’s about time you woke up,” Jasmine said from the other side of the couch. She was reading a book. Kyle’s vision was too blurry to read the title.

  “What happened?” he asked.

  “You fell asleep as I was telling you what happened here,” she said with a smile.

  “I did?”

  She raised her eyebrows and nodded.

  “Oh, sorry. Wanna come lay down on me and continue?”

  She laughed. “And have you fall asleep on me again? No thanks.”

  Kyle smiled. “Do you have anything to eat?”

  “Yeah.” Jasmine closed the book and walked into the kitchen. “Is there anything you’re in the mood for?”

  “No, just bring me anything, thanks.”

  “Good, cause all I have is beans.”

  “That’s fine.”

  Jasmine opened the can of beans and grabbed a plastic fork from the counter. She handed them to him.

  “Thanks,” he said taking the can.

  He dug into the food with little effort. He practically drank the beans. Jasmine watched him eat.

  “You aren’t hungry?”

  “No, I ate while you were passed out.”

  “How long have I been out?”

  “I don’t know, almost half the day maybe?”

  “Do the Existing Dead hang around in the sunlight?”

  “The what?” she asked, confused.

  “The monsters, creatures, whatever you call them. Do they come out at night?”

  She nodded. “They can’t get up here though. We’re safe.”

  “Good, I want safe.”

  “What’s with the luggage?” Kyle shoved a large forkful of beans into his mouth. “Going somewhere?”

  “You don’t know?”

  He shook his head as he chewed.

  “Listen to this.” Jasmine took the small crank radio and began rolling the crank to power the radio. “It’s been playing since this morning. I hope it’s still on.” She stopped cranking it when the voice of a man pierced through the static. Kyle spit out the chewed beans when he realized whose voice it was.

  “… Attention all citizens. This is Doctor Theodore Greenly, top researcher of the plague that has swept over our glorious nation. If you can hear this, I want you to know that there is hope. There is salvation. I have spent countless hours since the plague began and have finally developed a vaccine …”

  Blood rushed out of Kyle’s face making him as white as the wall behind him. His heart raced as he remembered Greenly’s red eyes and fangs. He wondered if a scalpel to the neck fazed him at all.

  “… If you’d like salvation, there is a little community just outside of Las Vegas. We have food with much room to grow. We need to unite and take back our country, then the world. We have the power to do that now. My vaccine works.”

  Greenly continued but the power on the radio was slowly dying out. “Stupid thing,” Jasmine said. She placed the radio back on the coffee table. “I was thinking about leaving for Nevada tomorrow. Didn’t you just come from Nevada?” She smiled.

  “We are not going anywhere.”

  “What?”

  “I said we’re not going anywhere,” Kyle repeated with a tint of anger in his voice.

  “Why not? This guy has a vaccine, there’s a community of people that are ready to do something about this whole mess.”

  “I was there!” Kyle screamed, his voice vibrating through the apartment.

  “Shhh,” she said.

  “I was there. I know what his vaccine is. I’ve seen it in action.”

  “Does it work?”

  “Yeah, if you want to become one of them.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  Kyle took the next half hour to explain everything he learned about the Existing Dead.

  “Oh my god,” Jasmine sighed. “Vampires?”

  “That’s the closest comparison, but honestly, who knows what the vaccine and virus did to him.”

  “What are we going to do?”

  Kyle had never thought that far ahead. All he’d thought about was getting to Jasmine and making her safe. He never anticipated that she would actually be safe.

  “I don’t know. Stay here until we can’t stay any longer.”

  “I can’t do that, Kyle. I’ve been here too long. What do they call it? Cabin fever? That’s what I’m getting. I can’t stay in this place much longer.”

  Kyle began to worry. Jasmine was losing control. He reached in and put his arms around her. “It’s going to be fine. Trust me.”

  Kyle’s black shirt felt wet as it caught the tears that fell from Jasmine’s eyes. He held her for another minute until something outside caught his attention. Twilight was quickly approaching. Standing in the middle of the street, where Kyle had taken refuge from the friendly fire, was the figure of a person.

  “What’s that?”

  Jasmine backed away from Kyle and looked out the window. “He’s back.” She ran for her rifle.

  “Who’s back?”

  “If you would have stayed awake you would have heard about him.”

  She put a pair of earplugs in and stuck the barrel of the gun through the opening in the window. She took aim. The crosshairs perfectly covered the figure. Kyle walked behind her and checked the weapons on the table.

  “Cover your ears.”

  Kyle dropped everything in his hands and covered his ears. The blast echoed in the room.

  “Fuck,” she said. “I missed.”

  She cocked the rifle again and took aim.

  “What is all this shit? Where’s the ammo?”

  “I ran out, I only have a few rounds for the rifle left.”

  “You have about ten firearms here and you only have ammo for the rifle?”

  “Shhh,” she said. “Cover your ears.”

  Again the blast rippled the inside of the house.

  “Dammit!” She cocked the rifle again.

  “Let me. Before you waste the little bit of ammo you have left.”

  Kyle took the rifle. He got an up-close view of the creature Jasmine had been shooting through the scope. She took the earplugs out of her ears and placed them into his ears. The creature looked nothing like the Existing Dead he encountered. This one was completely devoid of hair. Not even eyebrows were visible. He was pale, a dark shade of gray. He did not move, just continued staring up at the apartment. A large bullet hole was visible above his right eye.

  Kyle took deep breaths. His hands stopped shaking, the only two things that mattered at that second was him and the figure. He took in one last deep breath. Jasmine knew this was the sign. She covered her ears. The rifle popped, blasting the bullet at eight hundred feet per second toward the creature. The center mass of the figure completely split open. It fell to its knees and toppled over. Dead.

  “It’s the heart,” he said.

  She peered out the window and looked at the creature on the ground. She sighed. With the creature dead, it felt as though a chapter from her past had finally closed.

  “Who was that?”

  “My ex-boyfriend. He’s the reason everyone died here.”

  Kyle felt a sense of pride. Many men only dream about the day where they can take out their ex-lover’s new love. “What do we do with the body? There doesn’t seem to be anyone around. Are you going to move it?”

  “I have to. For some reason, when they see one of their own dead on the ground, they come in bunches.”

  She opened the door, and a pair of arms quickly reached for her. She screamed a bone-chilling cry as the arms pulled her out of the house.

  “Jasmine!” Kyle yelled.

  He grabbed the rifle and ran toward the door. Jasmine was struggling to pull free, but another set of arms reached out for her. “Let me go!” she yelled.

  Kyle raised the rifle and took aim. Jasmine ducked just enough for Kyle to squeeze off a round without hitting her. He fired.

  Click.

  “Fuck!” he yelled and reac
hed for the Glock. Jasmine ducked again and Kyle fired at the creature bear-hugging her. It staggered back. He fired two more times, hitting it on the shoulder with the first shot. The second shot sliced its cheek open. He pulled the trigger one more time, striking the being on the forehead. It staggered back and began to tip over the open railing where the staircase once was. Both the creature and Jasmine fell off the side. “No!” Kyle yelled. He reached his hand out, but it was too late.

  Kyle grabbed the other creature by the arm and flung him off the side. The adrenaline pumped through his body. Leaning over the railing, he saw Jasmine on the ground facedown and motionless.

  The ladder stared at Kyle and for that split second, he knew that leaving the ladder there was a mistake. A big mistake. One that led to tragedy.

  He climbed down and stood over Jasmine. Turning, he noticed the Existing Dead he had thrown off the side was back on its feet. Kyle raised the Glock and pulled the trigger three times. Pink blood spewed across the back wall as a small hole appeared in its chest.

  He knelt and rolled Jasmine onto her back. Her head quickly rolled to the side as though her neck had been broken. He put his hand on her chest and began shaking her. “Wake up. Wake up!” he said. “Please wake up.”

  She didn’t.

  Kyle felt hollow inside, as though nothing were there. He felt dead, but alive at the same time. Just like the Existing Dead. There was no real explanation why he still existing after all of this.

  Mary was dead. Eddie was dead. Susie was dead. Angel was dead. Chet was dead. Morgan was dead. Victor was dead. Albert was dead. And now, Jasmine was dead. The only one missing was Kyle.

  Moans began to cluster behind him. Kyle turned only to see fifty Existing Dead coming for him. This is it, he thought. The day I die.

  He wasn’t going out without a fight. He holstered the Glock and ran for the maintenance room. From what he remembered, this was where the building manager stored the gardening equipment. Ramming the door open with his shoulder, Kyle began looking for anything he could use. The Existing Dead were close at hand.

  To his left were three shovels, two spade heads and one squared. A pick axe stood at attention next to them, as well as a sledge hammer. He grabbed the hammer first. His muscles ached as he lifted it off the ground, but he didn’t care. This is where he was going to die.